Blueberry Bourbon Crisp

A Cautionary Tale…

There once was a woman at work, we’ll call her Sue. Sue was feisty, opinionated and mostly fun to be around. She could be stubborn and bossy at times but her strong work ethic, loyalty and sense of humor were admirable. She loved pushing peoples’ buttons and was certainly good at pushing mine. More than anyone I’ve ever met, she loved stuff. She was constantly finding the weirdest, most random knick knacks and toys to fill up her space with clutter. I couldn’t have handled all that clutter but she seemed to thrive off it. She loved showing everyone her silly toys and making people laugh. She had a great laugh. One day, something changed. Sue’s entire demeanor seemed to shift overnight and she went from being sunny, strong-willed and caring to sullen, distant and sensitive. “Everything’s fine,” she would say. “Nothing is wrong, I have no idea what you’re talking about.” Her tone plainly said mind your own business. So we did. But everyone knew something was going on and we conversed quietly by the water cooler out of concern and confusion. She was a newlywed… was it marital troubles? Workplace woes? After months of uncomfortable conversations and awkward silence, everything came to a head. Someone said the wrong thing to her at the wrong time and she blew up, stormed out of the building and drove away. I can still hear her yelling “You have NO idea what I’ve been going though!” Surely she was about to quit? We were baffled. And very worried. The truth was that Sue had found a lump and didn’t get it checked for months. And by that time the cancer had spread. Chemotherapy, a double mastectomy and radiation weren’t enough to save her life. Would 6 months have made a difference? No one will ever know. Why am I telling you this? Because early detection can save your life. Get educated, check yourself and schedule mammograms when you’re supposed to. If not for yourself, do it for the people who love you. I sincerely hope I don’t sound unsympathetic as I share this story. Sue and I had a strained relationship at times but we did care for each other. I wanted to portray the experience honestly. It was traumatic for everyone and I can’t imagine what she went through.

As with my last post, I’m highlighting cancer fighting ingredients today. Berries. Blueberries, strawberries, blackberries, whatever you like. Blueberries are a favorite of mine so today I’m sharing a lightened up blueberry bourbon crisp. Because blueberries aren’t in season right now I used frozen berries from the grocery store. They work perfectly well here and berries are too delicious to only enjoy in the summer. To keep things a bit healthier I used coconut oil instead of butter and honey instead of refined sugar (thought I do include an optional tablespoon of brown sugar in the topping). You can make this with only the agave and it will still be good but it lacks a certain buttery richness that you get from the molasses in brown sugar. I leave that up to you. Most of the bourbon cooks away in the oven so if you want to re-infuse the flavor, drizzle a tiny amount over the cobbler right after pulling it from the oven.

Very good post. Here in France, my wife receives reminders for free mammograms each year. The speed of service and backup in the French system is incredible. Aside from that, the opening picture is a stunner.

It’s great that you’re doing your part and spreading the word. Very important post, and it’s awesome you had the courage to do it with such honesty! xoxo This crisp looks so great and so healthy… I <3 the photos, too!

This sounds so so delicious. And it’s okay to be a little blunt about things like your coworker. Too many times, people learn their lessons the hard way. Cancer isn’t exactly something you want to learn about the hard way :-P

This is a wonderful tribute for breast cancer awareness week! Every woman deserves a chance to live their life meaningfully and with pleasure! Getting checked is one way of fulfilling this. And having a nice bowl of blueberry bourbon crisp is another :) !!!

I am so sorry for your coworker. I can’t even imagine. I do, however, think food has the power to change attitudes and moods, and hope this did the same for many. I love the bourbon in it…and the frozen berries trick!

Thanks for bringing awareness to such an important topic – especially because in many cases it IS detectable + treatable early. On a lighter note, this crisp looks absolutely wonderful. And blueberries are supposed to have wonderful antioxidant properties = double win!

Your story about Sue really does drive home the point about how important it is to get screened and perform self-checks regularly. Thank you for sharing the story, as well as this gorgeous crisp (with bourbon!)

Hi, I’m Jen

I’m a Maryland native living just outside of Washington DC. I graduated from culinary school in 2010 and have been cooking and baking professionally ever since. My goal at Savory Simple is to create everyday gourmet recipes that are easy to prepare at home. Thanks for visiting!

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